Laurence Kayaleh & Michael Kolk
Biographie Laurence Kayaleh & Michael Kolk
Laurence Kayaleh
International concert performer, Laurence Kayaleh is an artist of deep musical insight, possessing a rich, singing tone and a natural feeling for style. Possessing the impeccable technique and innate musicality of the grand tradition of violin playing, while at the same time venturing regularly into contemporary music, her playing comprises all the facets of a complete musician and creates an intensely moving experience for the public.
Ms. Kayaleh’s early career took her to prestigious music centers in the world : Paris, Prague, Brussels, Zurich, Sofia, Bern, Moscow, Modena and Geneva, where she was soloist with such well-known orchestras as Zurich’s Tonhalle Orchestra, Geneva’s Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the RTBF Symphony Orchestra (Belgium) and the Basel Symphony Orchestra, performing the Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto in B minor.
Having accomplished her artistic training in the Stage Performance Classes of the prestigious Kayaleh Violin Academy in Switzerland (Performer Diploma), she won First Prize with distinction at the Swiss Competition for Young Soloists, and was awarded the Grand Prize by unanimous decision of the Jury at the Stresa International Competition, Italy.
At her Paris debut at the Théâtre du Châtelet, the world-renowned critic of Le Figaro, Pierre Petit, described her playing as regal, praising her wonderful sound and her innate sense of phrasing. Following this event, she performed at the Gaveau Hall in Paris, has been a guest of the Lucerne Festival, and played as soloist under such well-known conductors as Pavel Kogan, John Carewe and Hiroshi Wakazugi.
Laurence Kayaleh performed as soloist at the Bolchoï Hall and at the Tchaïkovsky Hall in Moscow, performing the Brahms Violin Concerto with the Russian National Orchestra under Mikhaïl Pletnev, at the Pleyel Hall in Paris with the Lamoureux Symphony Orchestra under Grzegorz Nowak sharing the concert with violinist Igor Oïstrakh, at the Lied Center in Lincoln, USA, at the Tsu Center for the Performing Arts (Japan), and at the Suntory Hall in Tokyo. Her American career rewarded her with standing ovations wherever she performed : at the Blossom Festival with the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with Washington’s National Symphony Orchestra under Leonard Slatkin who described her as a unique musician, and at the Powell Hall with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.
Other engagements featured Laurence Kayaleh as soloist performing the Tchaïkovsky Violin Concerto with the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra in Caracas, Venezuela, with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Charles Dutoit and with the Basel Symphony Orchestra under Mario Venzago in Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor. Her Milano debut was marked by a brilliant recital given at the Verdi Hall.
She performed in the USA, in Toronto, Canada, as soloist with the Orchestra Stabile di Bergamo at the Donizetti Theater in Bergamo, Italy, with the Mexico City Philharmonic at the Cervantino International Music festival in Guanajuato and in Mexico City playing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, for Radio-Canada, as well as concerts throughout Canada, in Dublin, Ireland, and at the Tonhalle in Zurich. Other engagements include 20th-century chamber music concerts at Montreal’s Canadian Center for Architecture, recitals in Messina, Sicily, recordings for the CBC-Series (Canada), and for the Swiss, French, Belgium and Russian radios/televisions, concerts in the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival and a Gala Concert in Switzerland that she shared with violinists Viktor Pikayzen and Ida Haendel.
Laurence has recorded for NAXOS Records the complete works for violin and piano by N. Medtner (2 volumes), A. Honegger, G. Catoire, J. Raff (2 volumes) and F. Rebay’s complete sonatas for violin & guitar, and viola & guitar.
Canadian composer, François-Hugues Leclair, dedicated to her his piece for violin and piano « Le Retour des Oies »
Upcoming events will take place in Canada and in Europe. Ms. Kayaleh is also invited to be a member of jury in Canadian and international music competitions and she is regularly invited to give Masterclasses in Canadian universities and in institutions in South America and in Europe, including festivals.
In 1996, Laurence was granted the Nyon City Artistic Award, Switzerland.
Laurence Kayaleh’s repertoire covers the works written for the violin. She performs on a magnificent Pietro Guarneri built by the Venetian master in 1742, which belonged to the eminent violinist and pedagogue, Carl Flesch. With her lovely bearing and commanding stage presence, Laurence’s violin speaks to the audience in an extremely personal and unforgettable way.
Michael Kolk
has established himself as one of Canada's most accomplished classical guitarists. He has performed at festivals and concert halls throughout North America and Europe both as a soloist and as a member of the HK Guitar Duo with Drew Henderson. The Duo was selected by Prairie Debut for concert tours of Saskatchewan and the Yukon in the 2017/18 season. The following year a concert tour with violinist Laurence Kayaleh included concerts in Quebec, Ontario, and Swtizerland.
Michael has collaborated with numerous musicians in both classical and popular genres. He made his debut with orchestra as a soloist with the Toronto Philharmonia and has also performed with the Canadian Opera Company, Opera in Concert, Tapestry Opera, and CineConcerts, among others.
Active as a recording artist, Michael has released seven albums to date: three solo recordings on the Alma Records and Deosonic Music labels; three independently released albums with the HK Guitar Duo; and a collaboration with his former teacher, Jeffrey McFadden, featuring music for two guitars by Mauro Giuliani, issued on the Naxos label. These albums have garnered consistently positive reviews, and have received frequent radio play in Canada and the US. An album of guitar and violin sonatas by Ferdinand Rebay, a collaboration with violinist Laurence Kayaleh, is set to be released on Naxos in 2020 and a solo recording of 20th century guitar sonatas is also in the works.
Michael has been a top prize winner at numerous guitar competitions. He holds an ARCT performance diploma from the Royal Conservatory, as well as Master's degree in guitar performance from the University of Toronto. In addition to performing and recording, he is active as a teacher in Toronto and has guided many students to successful RCM exams and post-secondary auditions.
